Vaporizer and preheater for internal-combustion engines



I Marh ll 1927.

M. BECK VAPORVIZER AND PREHEATE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINESrv 3 Sheets-Sheet. l

Filed Nov. 28. 1921 Il n March l', 1927.

M. BECK vAPuRIzER AND PREHEATER FOR INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINES Filved NOV. 28. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 194 Hmm@ M. BECK VAPORIZER AND PREHEATER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES March 1, 1927.

Filed Nov. 2s. i921 s sheets-sheet s Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

MICHAEL ""BECK, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

VAPORIZER AND"r PREHEAT'ERFOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTIONiENGINES.

Application filed November 2a, 1921. Serial No. 518,183.`

My inventionrelates to improvements in internal combustion engines and more speciiically to vaporizers and preheaters for heavy hydrocarbon oils to be used as fuel for such engines, and has for its object to improve the same in the several particulars hereinafter noted.v

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinationsf of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,l which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. n

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in diagram and partly inlongitudinal central section of an automobile chassis having mounted thereon an internal combustion engine to which the invention isxapplied z Fig. 2 is a view principally in central ver- .tical section taken through the cylinder head of the engine on an enlarged scale ;y

Fig. 3 is a-.fragmentary detail view of the water supply tank and vaporand water pipe attached thereto;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partly in side elevation and partly in central longitudinal section, showing'the eX- haust pipe and vaporizer and pre-heater;

Fig. is a fragmentary view in section taken on the" line 4-4 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a View in section taken lon the line 6*(5 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 isa View partly in elevation and partly in diagram showing the heating element and electric circuit therefor' and Fig. S is a fragmentary detail view of the heating element. y

The numeral 9 indicates the chassis ofv an automobile and an internal combustionl engine mounted thereon is indicated as an entirety by the'numeral 10, with the eXcep-f tion of the cylinders 11', carbureter 12,` intake manifold 13, 'exhaust manifold 14, eX- haust pipehl land muflier 16. A fuel supply or oil tank for the internal combustion engine 11fis indicated by the nu1neral'17;

The invention includes a cylindrical casing 18, axially located within the exhaust pipe 15, and Vhas its lower end closedby a base 19 screwed therein and its upper end. l

3l are alifed is closed by a'fcap@ also screwed therein,

fragmentary view,

Said cap 20, outward of' the casing 18, is

provided with 'upwardly converging side l walls which terminate in `an externally" screw-threaded'end21 to which is applied an elbow"22"connected by a pipe 23 tothe carbureter L12 land which pipe 23`eXtend's centrally through a-n aperture in the exhaust pipe 15. The cap 2O affords a chamber '24' I and on the under side of the base "19 a depending axially located ai'rcharrber '25',

in the lower end of which is screwed one end of the transverse'portion of a T-.coupling 26and the other end of said transverse portion of said coupling is closed by a cap 27 having an "aperture 281" The per-A pendicular Vportion oftlieT-'cou'pling 26" is' depending stem 34 which is guided ina seat 35 in the headv 30 and has, on its 'lower end", a needle valve 3G.

VVithinthe casing 18"a1re concentric cyl` andi-ical Shells 37, esami 39' :nia-uy located in said casing and dividing the same into an oil chamber 40, van air' chamberV 41 land inner and outcrmixing chambers '42 and 43, respectively, 'and'which chambers 41, 42 and 43 progressively increase in area. The' shells 37, 3S and 39 are heldin posit-ionby annular shoulders on the base 19 and head In the lower end of the'air chamber 25 are vcircumferentially spaced ports'-44, which open to the atmosphere, 'and'in the upper'Y end of said chamber are circuinferentially spaced ports`45, which open into the lower* end ofthe chamber 41. lCircumferentially` spaced ports'46, in the upper end ofthe shell 38, afford communicationbetween the4 `i air y'chamber 41` and inner chambers 42, and circumferentially spaced ports/47- in the lower end of' the shell 39 afford cornmunication between the inner chamber`42 and the outer chamber43. f In the upper end" Aof the shellb@l and wallof the depression" eireumferentially spaced parte shell 37, afford communication between the i upper oil chamber 51 and the air chainber 41.

WVithin the oil chamber 4() is a heating element 53 which, as shown, is in the form of a very line closely coiled wire spirally wound around a tapered holder 54t'ornied on the lower end ot' the plug 49. One end ot the heat-ing element ground on the plug 49 and the other end thereof is attached to a wire 55 in the ignition and lighting system 56 tor the vehicle to which the invention is applied. Preferably, the wire 55 will be connected to the dimmer circuit ol the system as the saine is generally little used. An insulation of mica 57 or other suitable material is interposed between the heating element 53 and the holder 54. The wire 55 extends axially from the heating element 53 through the shell 37, coupling 26 and aperture 28 in the cap 27 and is held out ot Contact therewith by a piece of cork 58 or other suitable insulating Inaterial held in the lower end of said coupling 26 by the cap 27 and through which cork said wire is inserted.

The intake valve 33 is yieldingly held closed by a relatively light coiled spring 59 which encircles the valve stem 34 and is compressed between the under side of the head 30 and an annular flange 60 on said valve stem. This spring 59 is applied to the valve stein 34 by inserting the same over the needle valve 36 and past the flange 6() by turning the same on said flange with a screw action. The flange G0 is of a diameter not larger `than the valve stem 34, so that when the spring.; 59 is reniioved therefrom, said valve stem may be inserted through the seat or renioveel therelfroni.

By unscrewing the based?) -from the casing `18, the shells 37, 38 and 39 may be removed :trom said casing, and when removed, the spring 59 may be applied to the valve stein 34 or removed thereilroni.

The valves 33 and 36 seat simultaneously and, to adjust the screw plug 49 to the needle valve 36, the lower portion ot' the shell 37 may be removed from said screw plug, the `upper portion of said shell held in position against the head 3G and the plug 4S) screwed either into or out ol' the upper portion of the shell, as the case may require.

The operation of the invention thus 'liar described may be brielly described as follows:

Heavy hydrocarbon fuel, such as distillate kerosene and the like, in the supply tank 17 will flow through the pipe 29, under the action of' gravity, and ll the chamber 40 up to the plug 49 so that the heating clement 53 will be completely immersed therein. The switch 55 for the dimmer or other circuit in which the heating element 53 is included is then closed to close the respectijve Vcircuit and heat the oil in which said element is einer-sed and thereby start vaporizetion. The engine 10 is then started in the customary manner and, under the suction stroke thereof, the valves 33 and 36 will be opened and the hydrocarbon vapor in the oil chamber 40 will be drawn through the passageway 50, around the open needle valve 3G, into the upper oil chamber 51and through the ports 52 where it will commingle with air which, under the suction stroke of the engine, is drawn into the air chamber 41 through the ports 44 and 45 and the air chamber 25. por and air will be further drawn downward through the inner chamber 42, through the ports 47, and intothe outer chamber 43, where it will enter the depression 31 through the ports 48.

llrom the depression 31, the 'commingled hydrocarbon vapor and air will be drawn into the chamber 24, around the open Valve 33 and conveyed therefrom through the pipe 22 to the earbureter 12, where a further air supply will be commingled therewith.l

After the engine has been ruiming a short time, the het exhaust gases passing through the exhaust pipe 15 will come incontact with the casing 18 on all sides thereof and very quickly heat the saine together with all parts carried thereby. During the travel ot the hydrocarbon fapor and air, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5, .a'porization will continuously take place, due to thehcat produced by the hot exhaust gases vpassing over the casing 18, and the expansion et the fuel is permitted by the progressively increased size of the several chambers in said using. The switch 55 cut out the heating'eleinent 53 as soon as the heat from the exhaust starts vaporization.

At the time the yapor liucl leaves the casv ing 18, meist steam is connningled therewith. This steam is produced by conveying water from a supply tank Gl through a pipe 62 to a heating coil G3, the receiving end portion of which encircles the casing V18 within the exhaust pipe 15; The delivery portion of the heating coil 63 is extended from the casing 18 longitudinally within the exhaust manifold 14, then folded upon itself, extend- Said hydrocarbon va- Y may be operated toV lill lill) ed axially through its coil and tapped intol the elbow 22. Tater passing through the heating coil 68 is very quickly heated and the heating coil 63'by an atomizer, which inf cludes apnozzle 6ton the discharge endet the pipe 62 and closely and axially positioned in respect to the receiving end of the heating coil 63 outward ot the exhaust pipe l5. Surrounding the nozzle 64 isa casing 65, one end of which is screwed onto the receiving end ot' the heating coil (S3-and the other end oi which is screwed onto a pressure pipe 66 which leads to the tank 6l at the top thereof, and through which pipe 66 the pipe 62 axially extends. v

To produce a partial vacuum in the casing 65 at the nozzle 64 and thereby produce a suction to draw water from the tank 6l and spray the same into the heating coil 63 and at the same timeproduce pressure on the body ot water in said tankto torce the same therefrom into the pipe 62 and to the nozzle 64, I provide a novel device which acts automatically with a pump action. This device includes tapping into one or more of the engine cylinders l1 an upright valve casing 67 having a T-head 68. Each valve casing 67 has communication with the respective engine cylinder ll through `a port 69, at the upper end of which is a valve seat 70 on which rests a relatively small gravity held check ball valve'7l and normally closing said port. Normally open ports 72 connect the valve casingv 67 with their T-heads 68 and at the lower ends of which ports are valve seats 73 adapted to receive relatively large check ball valves 74 for closing the ports 72. The balls 74: closely engage the walls ot the valve casings 67, so that there is very little leakage therearound and said balls normally rest on the balls 7l.

A pipe 75, having an expansion chamber 76 interposed therein, connects the T-heads 68 to the casing 77 ot a needle valve 78 and a pipe 79 connects the valve casing 77 to the casing 65 ot the atomizer and opens therein, just back of the nozzle 64. On the valve casing 77 is a valve-equipped primingcup 80, which has communication with the pipe 75, when the needle valve 78 is closed, through a liv-pass 8l in the valve casing 77.

The action of the atomizer, in introducing steam into the fuel for the engine to increase the etliciency thereof, is as follows:

During compression in the cylinders ll, the balls 7l will be lifted from their seats 70 to open' the ports 69, and the balls 74 will be lifted into their seats 73 and close the ports 72 and thereby prevent leakage from the cylinders ll. By ymaking theballs 74 o't such size as to closely engage the walls ot the casing 67, the'samewill be carried into their seats v73,Y during compression, beforey any of the fuel mixturecan escape therearound.

During the suction stroke in the cylinders ll, the balls 7l will drop into vtheir seats 70,

close the ports 69 and trap the fuel mixture ,in the casingl 67. The balls 7l'then drop away from their seats 78 and the trapped fuel charge escapes around said balls and enters the pipe where it will. pass the needle valve 78 and enter the pipe 79, which will convey the same to the nozzle 64 and thereby create a partial vacuum in the casing 65.

As previously stated, this partial vacuum will draw the water from; the tank and spray the same into the heating coil 63. A portion of the fuel charge will also enter the tank 6l through the pipe 66 and create a pressure on the water' therein to assist in carrying the same'to the nozzle 64. By adjusting the needle valve 78, kthe amount off tuel charge passing from the pipe 75 to the nozzle 64 may be controlled.

It it is necessary to primethe engine, the needle valve' 78 may be closed and the gasoline or other priming fluid poured into the cup 8O when its valve is open. rThis fluid will enter the pipe 75 through the by-pass 8l and be conveyed to the severalcylinders ot the engine. In cranking the engine, the compression will movelthe balls 7l away from their seats 70 and thereby permitthe charging fluid to enter thecylinders.

Vhat I claim' is: y l. The combinationwith an internal combustion engine, ot a casing arranged tobe heated bythe exhaust -fron'rthe engine, oil,"

air and mixing chambers in the casing, said oil and air chambers having communication with the. mixing chamber, said mixing chamber having communication with the intake ot the engine, an intake valve normally closing the mixing chamber to said intake and arranged to be opened under the suction stroke ot the engine, a valve actuated by the intake valve for controlling the oil supply :from its chamber' to the mixing chamber, and a heating element immersed in the oil in the oil chamber 2. The combination with an internal combustion engine, ot' a casing arranged to be heated by the exhaust from the engine, oil` air and mixing chambers in the casing, said oil and air chambers having communication with the mixing chamber, said mixing chamber having communication with the intake of the engine, an intake valve normally closing the mixing` chamber to said intake and a1"anged to be opened under the suction stroke of the engine, a valve actuated by the intake valve for cont-rolling the oil supply from its chamber to the mixing chamber,

and an electric heating element immersed in the oil in the oil chamber.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine, of a casing arranged to he heated by the exhaust from the enginel` an oil chamber in the casing, an air chamber in the casing surrounding the oil chamber, a .mixing chamber in the casing surrounding the air chamber and having Comunication with the intake o' the engine, said oil and air chamhers having communication with the mixing chamber, an intake valve normally closing the mixing chamber to said intake and arranged to open under the suctionstroke ot the engine, and a valve for holding a body of oil in the oil chamber to be heated by the exhaust and actuated by the intake valve for controlling the oil supply from its chamber to the mixing chamber.

4l. The combination with an internal com.- bustion engine, oi: a casing arranged to be heated by the exhaust from the engine, an oil chamber in the casing` an air chamber in the casing surrounding the oil chamber, a return mixing chamber in the casing surrounding the air chamber and having communication with the intake ot' the engine, a partition in the oil chamber separating therefrom an upper oil chamber, said partition having a restricted passageway connecting the oil chamber with the upper oil chamber, said upper oil chamber and the air chamber having communication with the mixing chamber, an intake valve normally closing the mixing chamber to said intake and arranged to open under the suction stroke of the engine, and a valve normally closing said passageway and arranged to be actuatedby the intake valve for controlling the oil supply from the lower chamber to the upper Voil chamber.

5. The combination with an internal combustion engine, of a cylindrical casing arranged to be heated by the exhaust from the engine, concentric shells in the casing affording a centrally located oil chamber, an air chamber outward ol" the oil chamber and inner and outer return mixing chambers outward of the air chamber and having communication with the intake 01"'. the engine, said cil and airpchamber having communication with said mixing chambers, an intake valve normally closing the mixing chamber to said intake and arranged to open under the suction stroke of the engine, and a valve actuated by the intake valve for controlling the oil supply Yfrom its chamber to the mix ing chamber.

(i. The combination with an internal combustion engine, of a casing arranged to be heated by the exhaust tromrthe engine, oil, air and mixing chambers in the casing, said oil and air chambers having communication 'i 'h the mixing chamber, said mixing chamber having communication with the intake ot the engine, a plug in the oil chamber having a restricted passageway leading toV the mixing chamber, an intake valve normally closing the mixing chamber to said intake and arranged to be opened under suction stroke. of the engine, aneedle valve carried by the intake valve for controlling the oil supply from a chamber and normally closing said restricted passageway, said plug being adjustable toward and from the needle valve, and a heating element carried by said plug within the oil chamber.

In testimony whereof I aix 1n signature.

MICHAE BECK. 

